Boko Haram: Schoolgirls? We married them off

     Five days ago, Boko Haram dismissed Nigeria's announcement that stated he would release the school girls by stating "there is no such deal and the schoolgirls abducted in April have been converted to Islam and married off." Two weeks ago, Nigerian officials announced they made a deal with Islamist terror group that they would release the (more than) 200 girls who had been kidnapped at a Northern boarding school. In the video, Abubakar Shekau, the Islamist group leader, stated they had converted to Islam, memorizing two chapters of  the Quaran and were then married off. He also denied any type of negotiation with the government.

     Mike Omeri, the coordinator of Nigeria's National Information Centre, informed CNN they are aware of the video and that "we can say the road to peace is bumpy. Nigeria has been fighting a war and wars don't end overnight." Nigerian officials met with Boko Haram in Chad on October 17th to discuss release of the girls. After the deal was made, it was stated that final negotiations would be made at a meeting a week later. However, that week passed and there was no sign of the girls. 

     In the video, Shekau spoke of "war, striking and killing with gun." Apparently, Boko Haram fighters have been performing deadly attacks on the villages in Nigeria, despite "government claims of ceasefire." The latest attack left eight dead. The Islamist terror group also abducted 60 young women and girls days later from Christian villages in Northeast Nigeria. It was stated they left 1,500 naira ($9) and kola nuts as a bride price for each girl abducted. Nigerian military has stepped up in campaigning against militants and criminals in the West African nation. They are continuing to ground operations to prevent attacks are are studying the latest video about the release of the kidnapped schoolgirls.

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